


The Long Way Home

by towokuwusatsuwu



Category: Kamen Rider Wizard
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Five Stages of Grief, Grief/Mourning, Lack of Communication, Long-Distance Relationship, Multi, Polyamory, Promises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2017-05-18
Packaged: 2018-11-02 05:47:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10938243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/towokuwusatsuwu/pseuds/towokuwusatsuwu
Summary: Haruto has spent half a year away from Remnants and without the company of his boyfriends. His communication issues are a problem. Nevertheless, Shunpei has a gift waiting for him.





	The Long Way Home

Haruto had been gone longer than he could remember. The passage of time on the road seemed blurred somehow. He’d done his best to keep up using his cell phone, but all too often he would travel for days on his bike without giving the device much thought. More than once, the phone died without him noticing for hours, sometimes even more than a day at a time. The others at least understand he’s busy and give him as much space as they can possibly allow; Shunpei still texts him at least once a day, even if it’s just a reminder to stay safe, and Nitoh leaves him voicemails when he can remember to call.

Those little reminders keep him going more than he thinks he can admit to himself. He’d spent so much time with the others that he got used to having them around. He got used to it being more than just him, Koyomi, and Wajima— and now there’s just him. No living room overflowing with people, no friendly chatter over breakfast or dinner. Just him, and the quiet, and the occasional battle with a Phantom that finally decides to make itself known.

By the time he finds it in him to return home, at least for a short time if not permanently, more than six months have passed. He feels like the worst boyfriend alive. Granted, Shunpei and Nitoh have said before they understand, and Nitoh’s constant searching for Chimera has kept him away from the house just as much if not more than Haruto. Shunpei has been the only one at the house Haruto used to think of as home, the place he stopped thinking of as home when Koyomi died and everything had come crashing down around them.

The memories still hurt. Sometimes, in the midst of battle, he thinks he can hear her voice calling out to him. He still has the occasional nightmare, the maniacal giggling of Sora Takigawa ringing in his ears as he watches helplessly as Koyomi falls by his hand again and again. Maybe this is part of what keeps him from returning home, having to face the reality that Koyomi will not be there. In a way, he understands himself and his reasoning. In another, he hates himself for not going home more often when he knows Shunpei is waiting for him.

It’s ironic to consider the fact that the very young man that used to drive Haruto crazy is his main reason for returning home now. Nitoh seems better able to handle the stresses of upholding a complex long distance relationship such as theirs; his voice never seems to break or flag in his voicemails, and Haruto supposes he understands that. Nitoh sees nothing but opportunity in the world, and he had seen opportunity in this bond between the three of them. Shunpei, though… Haruto sometimes wonders what emotions must be hidden in his cheerful text messages. If he only sends messages because leaving voicemails is too difficult for him.

Haruto removes his cell phone from his pocket; he made sure to charge it when he realized he was on the way home. There are no missed calls and unread messages. Were Nitoh and Shunpei stunned by the text he sent both of them, that he was on the way home? He has no way of knowing, but he thinks it might have been a little shock for Shunpei since Haruto never returns the calls or messages, never quite sure what to say in return.

He checks the time, calculating how much longer it will take him to reach Remnants, then slips his helmet back on his head and swings his leg over his bike, revving the engine before heading back out on the road. Driving home still feels surreal even though this route used to be a common one for him. Has he been gone so long that nothing feels like home anymore? He isn’t sure. He just hopes he can find home in the arms of the men he still loves.

The shop appears before him faster than he feels it should, and he parks his bike outside, removing his helmet once again and surveying the front of the shop. It feels as though so little has changed here when he’s been through so many battles in the last half-year. It also feels strange to have had no new magical rings in that time, but he’s hardly been anywhere long enough for Shunpei to send him one in the mail, so it isn’t like he had much of a choice there. Besides, Infinity’s power needs little to no back-up.

He doesn’t see Nitoh’s bike anywhere, and he doesn’t see Rinko’s car. The thought is more comforting than it should be. After having been away from everybody for so long, he doesn’t know that he would be capable of being around all of them at once. Best to start with Shunpei and his boundless energy. Even Nitoh pales in comparison, and it might be easier for him to deal with just one person right now, to remember what it’s like to communicate.

Instinct would have him pushing open the door and simply walking inside, but after six months that feels wrong. So instead, he raises his hand and raps his knuckles on the door, leaning his ear against the wood so he can listen for the sound of footsteps. He hears something that sounds like someone half-falling in the process of getting to the door and his chest tightens, the corners of his eyes pricking. He has to rub them to make the sensation stop.

“Sorry for the way!” The door swings open, revealing the all-too-familiar sunny smile of Shunpei Nara. Well, the smile lasts about three seconds before it drops, his eyes widening. “H-Haruto?”

Haruto tries for a smile and fails, leaning his shoulder against the frame instead. “Hi, Shunpei.”

“I didn’t know you were going to be back this early. I’d thought… I don’t know.” Shunpei shrugs helplessly, those big, big brown eyes still fixed on Haruto’s face. By this point, Haruto would have expected to be tackled to the ground. “I can’t believe you’re home.”

“I wanted to get here as early as I could. I’m kind of glad no one else is here. I wanted to see you alone.” Which is true, but he would have expected to have Shunpei buried in his arms by this point, asking him a thousand and one questions about his trip and demanding to know how long he plans on staying. He wouldn’t have expected to be having this conversation while still standing outside of Remnants.”Is it okay if I come in?”

Shunpei flushes and ducks his head, shuffling back away from the door. “Of course you can, you live here, too. I’m sorry, I’m just… You’re really here.”

“Yeah, I am.” Haruto closes the door behind him, scanning the interior of the shop. “Wajima?”

“He went out for a bit, said he didn’t quite know when he was going to be back. So it’s just you and me for a while. Nitoh is supposed to come today, too, but this evening. He changed his plans when you said you were coming back.” Shunpei releases a slow breath, and it’s then that Haruto notices the tears standing in his eyes. “You really did come home.”

Haruto crosses the space of floor between them in wide steps, wrapping his arms as tightly around Shunpei as he can, pulling him against his chest. It’s clear to him what’s happened now, and he feels bad for it. Worse than he feels about anything else. “I’m home.”

There is hesitation before Shunpei wraps his arms around Haruto in turn, nuzzling against his shoulder, a wet exhale warming Haruto’s skin through his t-shirt. He hugs Shunpei a little tighter, pressing a kiss to his soft black hair, willing him to feel better even though he knows he will need to openly apologize for not coming back sooner. For not keeping in touch as much as he should have. Grief makes even the simple things too difficult sometimes, but he should have tried, just the same. Even a message here and there would have been better than nothing.

Shunpei nuzzles against his neck for just a moment before leaning back, and though there are obvious wet streaks down his cheeks that he hurriedly wipes away, he looks a bit better. “Sorry. I knew you would have told us directly if you wanted… Wanted to not be a part of this anymore. Of us. But I still got upset sometimes thinking about it, I guess.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you more. I should have. I guess I just never knew what to say, so I didn’t say anything at all.” Haruto frames Shunpei’s face in his hands, thumbing a tear off of his cheek. “I suffered in silence, and it was stupid. I should have talked to you. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Really.” Shunpei takes him by the wrists, pulling him forward into the building, and Haruto catches him when he stumbles, not about to let him fall this time. “I made something. I wanted to wait until Nitoh gets here, but—”

The door flies open behind them and Haruto is rocked forward by something pouncing on his back; the familiar laughter in his ear is all that keeps him from slipping into his fighting instincts, more likely than not. “I heard someone say my name.”

“You weren’t supposed to be here this early,” Shunpei says, and he pushes himself up just enough to butt his forehead against Nitoh’s, currently positioned beside Haruto’s considering Nitoh is hanging off of his back. “What happened?”

“I took some shortcuts and skipped a meal so I could get here to see you faster.” Nitoh reaches past Haruto, ruffling Shunpei’s hair. “I heard my name. What’s going on?”

“Shunpei says he made us something while we were gone,” Haruto says.

Nitoh makes a noise in his ear. “Made us something? Did you make us magic rings? Even if I can’t use mine right now it’s gonna be the best one ever, I just know it.”

Shunpei’s face flushes bright red, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and his voice shakes just slightly when he replies. “N-no, I, um. I mean, I did make rings, just… Let me get them, okay? It’ll be easier to explain if I can show them to you.”

He scuttles away toward his workspace, which gives Haruto ample time to shrug Nitoh off of his back before turning around to look at him. There are clearly bags beneath his eyes, but the smile on his face is just as bright as ever, and he doesn’t wait even a moment before pulling Haruto down to kiss him, a loud smacking kiss.

“I missed you,” he says. “You should answer your calls more often.”

Haruto nods, dropping his head a little. “I know. I just had that talk with Shunpei. I’m sorry. I promise I’ll do my best to get better at it. Any luck with Chimera?”

“Not yet, but I can feel I’m going to find him soon.” Nitoh brushes their noses together, then leans back on his heels, rocking on the balls of his feet. Even tired, he has boundless energy. “And good. It’d be nice to hear your voice when I’m out in the middle of nowhere. I hear Shunpei’s every time I call and it makes it feel a lot less lonely.”

The sentiment makes Haruto nod slowly. He understands loneliness well enough to know he’s made a big mistake, and he takes one of Nitoh’s hands in his, pressing a kiss to his fingers. “I’ll do my best to answer your calls and return them if I miss them. I let Koyomi’s death hit me way too hard if it meant hurting you and Shunpei. I’ll do better.”

“Don’t forget you don’t have to shoulder that burden alone. We were all friends, and we’re your boyfriends. We’re here for you.” Nitoh grins up at him, and Haruto’s heart skips a beat just a bit when Nitoh’s voice doesn’t hitch or crack on the word “boyfriends.”

“I’ve got them!” Shunpei’s cheerful voice has both Haruto and Nitoh turning around, moving to take seats while Shunpei sets an ornate box on the table in front of them, a proud little smile lighting up his face. “Golem made the box for me. I guess he thought it was only proper, given what I made. Here, let me show you.”

Haruto isn’t sure what he’s expecting when Shunpei opens the box. He has no idea what Shunpei’s ring-making abilities are like, though he has faith that anything Shunpei put his heart and soul into has to be as near to perfect as possible. He isn’t expecting to see three slender silver bands resting on a bed of black velvet, each topped with the same pale stone. He can see the slight difference in the sizes and wonders how Shunpei knew their sizes.

“What are these?” Nitoh asks, picking up one of the rings, turning it around in his fingers.

“It’s, ah… They’re not magical rings. They’re promise rings.” Shunpei ducks his head, but Haruto can see the blush spreading across his cheeks just the same. “I did make some magic rings while you were gone, but these… It kind of just came to me, and I made these. I don’t know that they have any magical powers, but I made them for you just the same.”

Haruto waits for Shunpei to pick up the one meant for him before accepting it, turning it around in his hands, unable to help but admire how much time and effort must have went into such a small and beautiful trinket. He slides it onto his finger, holding his hand out in front of him to examine it. It fits perfectly, and it’s small enough that he doubts it would interfere with any of the rest of his magic rings. Shunpei really has done a fantastic job.

“Thank you,” he says, looking up, meeting Shunpei’s eyes so he can make sure his boyfriend hears him. “This means a lot to me, that you would make this for me.”

Nitoh slides his on without a thought, turning his hand this way and that. “You know, before all of this I wouldn’t have taken a ring like this from another guy. But I’m good accepting this from you.” Nitoh grins up at him, flexing his fingers.

Before Shunpei can pick up the last ring, Haruto does instead, stretching out a hand to take Shunpei’s in his own. He slides the third ring onto Shunpei’s finger, giving his hand a meaningful squeeze. “I don’t know why you made these rings, but now every time I look at mine, I’m going to remember that you made it for me. It’ll call me back home.”

Shunpei’s eyes brim with tears again. This time, Nitoh is the one who leans forward to brush them away.


End file.
